U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Blue-collar workers earn more of compensation in benefits than other workers

July 06, 1999

Blue-collar workers received an average of $5.58 per hour in benefits in March 1999, which accounted for close to 31 percent of their compensation. White-collar and service workers were both paid about 26 percent of their compensation in the form of benefits.

The average cost to employers of the wages and salaries of blue-collar workers was $12.61 per hour. Average wages and salaries were considerably higher for white-collar workers ($18.02) and considerably lower for service employees ($8.45).

Though white-collar and service workers received about the same proportion of their compensation in benefits, the absolute levels were very different. At $6.47 per hour, white-collar employee benefits were over twice as high as service employee benefits, which averaged just $3.00 per hour.